SENATE BILL REPORT

                  EHB 1647

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

               Higher Education, March 25, 1997

Title:  An act relating to higher education.

Brief Description:  Establishing a home tuition program.

Sponsors:  Representatives Radcliff, Van Luven, Mason, Carlson, Veloria, Morris, Ogden, Kenney and Costa.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Higher Education:  3/24/97, 3/25/97 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

  Signed by Senators Wood, Chair; Winsley, Vice Chair; Bauer, Kohl and Patterson.

Staff:  Jean Six (786-7423)

Background:  Washington=s baccalaureate institutions may enter reciprocity agreements with colleges and universities in other states.  Under the agreements, the institutions may exchange undergraduate students.  The exchange students pay the resident tuition rate at the college or university they are attending for that year.  In any year, the number of students coming to a Washington institution must be balanced by an equal number of Washington students attending participating institutions in another state.  By law, Washington=s baccalaureate institutions may waive all or part of the nonresident differential for students participating in this program.  Students may receive the waiver for a maximum of one year. 

Washington=s baccalaureate institutions may also waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for a limited number of international students.  In any year, waivers are limited to 100 students at each of the research universities and 20 students at each of the comprehensive universities and The Evergreen State College.  The institutions must give a priority to international students participating in academic exchange programs sponsored by recognized international education organizations.  The number of waivers granted by any institution must not exceed the number of that institution=s students who enrolled in approved study-abroad programs during the same time period.

Summary of Amended Bill:  The program is revised that permits baccalaureate institutions to waive the nonresident tuition differential for students participating in exchange agreements with colleges and universities in other states.  The baccalaureate institutions may establish home-tuition agreements with institutions of higher education or institutional consortiums outside the state.  Through the agreements, students from Washington=s baccalaureate institutions exchange places with students from participating institutions for a maximum of one year.  Participating students pay the resident tuition and fee rates at either their home institution or at the out-of-state institution they are attending.  The tuition and fee rate is determined by the agreement.  The agreements cannot result in either uncompensated costs to instructional programs or loss of tuition and fee revenue.  The program is no longer a tuition waiver program.  Nonresident students participating in this program are defined as resident students for the purpose of determining tuition and fee rates.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The intent of the Legislature is clarified that participants in the program actually come to the state of Washington in an exchange and do not use this special program to establish Washington residency and eligibility for state financial aid.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Washington is a trade dependent state and this kind of program will help with economic development.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Rep. Renee Radcliff, prime sponsor; Susan Patrick, HECB.